One of the problems with playing 78s is that you'll need a special needle. A 78 RPM record is usually ten inches across (rather than seven) and made of a heavier substance. They will break easily, so be careful. If you play a 78 RPM record with a regular modern microgroove stylus, you will wear your stylus out after repeated use pretty quickly. 78s used a steel needle, and the difference between them in something like this:
Modern stylus in a microgroove record: ===> \V/
Modern stylus in a 78 record groove: ====> \_V_/
So not only will you not hear the proper audio reproduction a 78 record is capable of with a microgroove stylus, but you'll obviously damage any microgroove record you have if you play it with a 78 needle. I have a lot of 78s and am gonna need to invest in a dedicated 78 player since you just junk up your microgroove needle playing those things...
But do remember that the quality of a 78 will be very poor compared to microgroove records so you probably won't notice much of a difference quality wise unless the 78 is brand new. The needles used to play 78s were either steel or porcupine quill (for wind-up ones) the latter being worn out fater but doing less damage. When sapphire styli came out, the ones for 78's were wider than those for 45s and LPs.
The sound reproduction systems up to the early 50's were just a horn - no electrics at all so quality wasn't as important.
I'm lucky. I'm old enough to remember getting a choice between 45's and 78's in the stores
I still have my record deck from the 70's which has two needles and speeds of 78, 45, 33 1/3 and 16 which I still use for this purpose (transferring to PC).
Foxxfur is quite right with the warning DO NOT PLAY 45s OR LPs WITH THE SAME NEEDLE unless you want a supply of coasters and, if you get a 78 needle, it'll tear your vinyl to bits because it's way to wide and will shear off the sides of the grooves (you get nice thin shavings of vinyl coming off. I've done that by accident - not good).
However, take my word for it, a modern stylus doesn't wear out that quickly. The shellac of the older 78's is hard but not as hard as the diamond tip of the needle. (Actually, it's not shellac at all - see
http://www.shellac.org/recording/record5.html ). Later 78's were made as "Unbreakable" and are nearer to the materials used later (used late 50's).
Where the problems arise is when the older record's grooves have been chipped and pitted by the steel needles. It's the chips that can shear off a diamond tip.
It would be better if you could get a 50's player (like a dancette) and rig the speaker to a jack plug as they were fitted with wider needles (mono). A search around the junk shops will find one.
I'm very wary of adverts that say their player can play 78's and only have one needle (they mean the later 78's).
My other suggestion would be as makeminemusic suggests and record at the lower speed and convert. It really works - and have two separate needles (or cartridge) and label them.
If you are dealing with the later 78's (late 50's onwards) that are slightly flexible and not the hard, black ones, these problems shouldn't arise. Just play them as you would any record. No need for a second needle as the material is very similar to the modern stuff.
That's one of the benefits of being rather old. First hand experience with today's antiques :lol:
